Help! Breed Selection

[mooSa]

Ok I have decided to get get Rhode Island Red's because they lay big brown eggs with high quantities. Now I would like to know how i can be sure that the hen i am purchasing is a RIR. I have printed pictures and everything but sometimes you can find similar hens.


well basically i have 2 questions...

1) How do i identify a Rhode Island Red?

2) Are there any other breeds that are great for business use with high productivity like the RIR?

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Its not hard to idetinfy a TRUE rir - they are VERY dark mohagany color, with black tails if I remember correctly.

There are many breeds that do well for commercial egg production - RIR, sex-links, leghorns, ect. Although, these may not be the best pet chickens......especially the leghorns.

 

[lux_interior]

If buying from a hatchery, you can get true Rhode Island Reds, but will most likely get production RIR's... they're not entirely pure, but they are definitely bred for egg production though, so either will do you fine. But they should look just like any pics you can find, just look at pics of chicks too if youre buying them that way. Sex links are also good, they are cross breeds of RIR's... good luck

 

[mooSa]

If you could give me information on their physical attributes such as...


Comb:
Wattles:
Ear Tuffs:
Eye:
Earlobe:
Features:
Beak:
Skin:
Legs:

 

[Sillystunt]

They aren't the only good brown egg layers. I have 2 and love them don't get me wrong but my other chicken(breed unknown, mutt) gives me larger brown eggs and just as many.

That's Gumby...........

Never the less what ever you get , you will love

 

[Judy]

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Quote:
I dont think shes a mutt, she looks like a hatchery quality Light Brahma

There are many other breeds, such as brahmas, that are less aggressive, and more "ornamental" than sexlinks, RIRs, and your typical white leghorn (not they they dont come in LOTS of colors!)

For example -

Brahmas
Orpingtons
Australorp
Delaware
Langshan
New Hampshire
Plymouth Rock
Sussex


those are mainly just the brown egg layers.....

And honestly, if you get Hatchery stock, they are more than likely going to produce more eggs than show quality stock.

 

[Chris09]

moosa
This is a real Rose Comb RIR ( Exibition Stock )

 

[Chris09]

moosa:
This would be a real Rose Comb RIR Hen This hen an the rooster I posted is 1 year old as of May 28th 2009

Chris

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Are those your stock, chris? Beautiful birds.